Brassiere



Nov. 17, 1964 Filed Aug. 21. 1961 M. c. FRIDOLPH 3,157,182

BRASSIERE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

MAI/0E CaA/srn/vcg' Fk/OOLPH 1964 M. c. FRIDOLPH 3,157,182

BRASSIERE Filed Aug. 21, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

M1900 tower-40: Air/000 United States Patent 3,157,182 BRASTERE MaudeConstance Fridolph, 269 (Jrescent Bay Drive, Lagnna Beach, Caiii'. FiledAug. 21, 1961, Ser. No. 132,740 7 Ciairns. (ill. 128-429) This inventionrelates to brassieres and particularly to brassieres that are intendedfor use with garments having a low back.

It is an object of this invention to provide a brassiere which issufiiciently low in the back sothat it can be worn with formal orbackless garments and, at the same time, will provide proper supportwithout tendency to ride up the back or bind beneath the bust line inthe front.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a brassierewherein all parts of the side bands be smooth and fiat against the bodyof the wearer.

Basically, the brassiere embodying the invention comprises a frontsection which has portions defining cups and a pair of diverigng sidebands extending from each side of the front section, the upper bandsbeing generally horizontal and the lower bands diverging sharplydownwardly and having their ends adapted to be interconnected. The loweredges of the lower bands diverge downwardly generally at a right angle,when the brassiere is in open fiat condition, and form a continuation ofthe lower edge of the front section. A shoulder strap extends from eachcup portion and over the shoulders to the lower bands. The upper bandsare secured to the strays intermediate the ends of the strays. Portionsof the straps above and below the upper bands are longitudinallyelastic.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the brassiere on the wearer.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the brassiere on the wearer.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective View of the brassiere on the wearer.

FIG. 4 is a view of the brassiere in open, flat condition.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view through an end portion of the upper band ofthe brassiere.

FlG. 6 is a side view of a modified form of brassiere on the wearer.

FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of another modified form of brassiereon the wearer.

FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of another modified form of brassiereon the wearer.

FIG. 9 is a front perspective view of another modified form of brassiereon the wearer.

Referring to the drawings, the brassiere embodying the inventioncomprises a band it) including front sections 11 and side bands 12extending from the front sections 11. Sections 11 and side bands 1?. arepreferably longitudinaliy elastic as indicated by the arrows. Cupportions 13 of inelastic material are secured to the band along lines14- so that a central portion 15 of the band defines a gore between thecup portions 13. Cup portions 13 can be made in any conventional designof one or a plurality of pieces of material.

The lower edge of each side band 12 extends downwardly toward the freeend thereof. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the lower edge of each side band 12extends downwardly along a substantially straight line and forms acontinuation of the lower edge of the front section 11 to define adiverging angle. The included angle between the lower edges of the sidebands 12 is generally a right angle and preferably an obtuse angle whenthe brassiere is in open, fiat condition as shown in FIG. 4.

An upper band 16 preferably of inelastic material is ecured to the sideedge of each cup portion 13 as at 17. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, theupper bands 16 extend 3,157,182 Patented Nov. 17., 1964 generallyhorizontally from the cup portions 13 when the garment is worn by awearer. Bands 16 are preferably inelastic. Bands in and bands 12 may bein non-overlapping, partially overlappin or entirely overlappingrelation.

Adjustable straps 18 are provided for each cup portion 13 and areattached to the upper edge of each cup portion as at 19. Each strap 18includes an inelastic portion 2%) that extends over the shoulder of thewearer and an elastic portion 21 that extends downwardly from the end ofthe inelastic portion 20 and is secured to the lower band as at 22. Theends of the upper bands 16 are folded over and secured to the bands inorder to form loops of substantial width through which the elasticportions 21 of straps 18 extend. This permits the ends of the upperbands 16 to move upwardly and downwardly and accommodate to thevariations in the corresponding portions of the wearers body.

By this construction, the elastic band 10 encircles the portion of thewearers body that has a circumference less than the circumference of thebody at a horizontal section at or above the shoulder blades just belowthe bust line to provide support of the bust without riding up the backor binding beneath the bust line of the wearer. The forming of the loweredges of the lower side bands 12 so they diverge sharply at an anglewhich is generally a right angle and is preferably an obtuse angleinsures that the ends of the lower side bands 12 extend downwardlysuiiiciently to provide a low-back garment that can be worn inconnection with certain style garments that have a low back. Theextension of the upper bands 16 to the straps 18 insures that a lateralor horizontal force is applied to the cup portions 13 which combineswith the vertical restraint of the lower bands 12 to insure the desiredseparation and support, without binding or gaping.

Although the included angle between the lower edges of the side bands 12is generally a right angle, when on the wearer, the lower edges of thelower side bands 12 extend across the lower rib case of the wearer andform an angle which is preferably approximately 30 degrees to thehorizontal when viewed from the side on the wearer as shown in FIG. 2. 7

It can thus be seen that I have provided a brassiere which can be wornwith formal or backless garments and, at the same time, provides propersupport of the bust without riding up the back or binding beneath thebust line of the wearer. The lower edges of the side bands 12 extendingdownwardly across the rib cage, when on the wearer, positively preventthe side bands 12 from moving upwardly. The substantially horizontalupper bands 16, in combination with the elastic connector straps 21,smooth out any puckers or gaping which would otherwise form along theupper edge of the lower side bands 12; thereby insuring that the entireinner surface of the band 10, from the front to the back, lies smoothand fiat against the body of the wearer. Thus, the lower edges of thedownwardly extending lower side bands 12 lock or secure the brassiere inplace at the sides and back of the wearer and the upper side bands 16not only exert a lateral pull against the straps 21 as a fulcrum butalso the connection between the upper and lower side bands irons out theupper surface of the lower side bands. Wearers of my new brassiere havestated that it gives a decided freedom of movement of the arms andshoulders as compared to standard straight around brassieres.

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 6, the ends of the upperbands 16a are fixed to the elastic portion 21a of the shoulder strap18a. In addition, the lower bands 12a are fastened to the cup portions13a in such a manner that they partially overlap the upper bands 16a butare unattached thereto. If it is to accommodate persons of dilferentsizes, the overlap may be complete as shown 1.? by the dotted line 25.In addition, in the form of the invention shown in FIG. 6, the loweredge of the lower bands 12a is convex downwardly and the upper edge ofthe lower bands 12a is concave upwardly.

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 7, the front sections 1112are made of inelastic material and overlap as at 26. The upper bands16:: are fixed to the sides of the cup portions 13!; and the lower sidebands 121) are fixed to the side edges of the front sections 1111.

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 8, the front sections 110 andlower side bands 120 are part of a single piece of longitudinallyelastic material. The inner ends of the front sections 110 areoverlapped. In addition, the inner ends of the side band portions 120overlap completely the upper bands 16c and are connected to the cupportions 130, but unattached to the upper hands 160.

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 9, the front sections 11d aremade of inelastic material and the side bands 12d are fastened to theside edges of the front sections 11d and are made of longitudinallyelastic material. In addition, the lower bands 12d are fastened to thecup portions 13d and partially overlap the upper bands 1601, but areunconnected thereto.

It should be understood that although the included angle between thelower edges of the side bands 12, 12a, 12b, 12c and 12d, when thebrassiere is in open, fiat condition, have been described as beinggenerally a right angle and preferably an obtuse angle, obviously, thisangle can vary considerably and, in addition, the curvature of the lowerand upper edges of the side bands may vary considerably; the importantpoint is that when on the wearer the lower edges of the lower side bandsslant downwardly across the lower rib cage of the wearer and when viewedfrom the side on the wearer, the lower edges are at preferablyapproximately 30 degrees to the horizontal.

I claim:

1. A brassiere comprising a front section including a pair of spacedapart cup portions,

lower main bands of substantial Width connected to the outer edge ofeach cup portion at least at the lower outer edge thereof,

the bottom edge of each lower band extending downwardly and outwardlywhen in the flat and downwardly across the rib cage at an angle when onthe wearer,

the outer ends of each lower band being connected together at the smallof the back when on the wearer,

straps having one end connected to each cup portion at the top andconnected to each lower band adjacent the outer end thereof,

secondary upper bands extending substantially hori- Zontally outwardlyand rearwardly from an edge of each cup portion and connected to atleast the outer edge of each cup portion at a point above the lowermostconnections between the cup portions and the lower bands, and connectedat their outer ends to said straps to provide lateral pull at the outeredges of the cup portions, and cooperating with said lower bands toinsure desired support without wrinkling along the upper edge of saidlower bands.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the portions of the strapsbetween the secondary bands and the lower band is elastic.

3. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the connection between theouter ends of the secondary bands and the straps provides relativevertical adjustment between the outer ends of the secondary bands andthe straps.

4. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the angle of each lowerband as it crosses the rib cage when on the wearer is approximately 30to the horizontal.

5. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the lower ends of eachstrap are formed of longitudinally elastic material and the outer endsof each secondary band are in the form of loops through which the strapsextend.

6. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the secondary bands areformed of inelastic material and the lower main bands are formed of atleast in part of elastic material with the direction of elasticityparallel to the bottom edges of the lower bands.

7. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the lower main bands areformed at least in part of elastic material with the direction ofelasticity parallel to the bottom edges of the lower bands.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,026,524 Fridolph Jan. 7, 1936 2,060,998 Martin Nov. 17, 1936 2,115,398Rosenthal Apr. 26, 1938 2,585,137 Kurland Feb. 12, 1952 2,638,596Friclolph May 19, 1953 2,736,898 Lax et al Mar. 6, 1956

1. A BRASSIERE COMPRISING A FRONT SECTION INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACEDAPART CUP PORTIONS, LOWER MAIN BANDS OF SUBSTANTIAL WIDTH CONNECTED TOTHE OUTER EDGE OF EACH CUP PORTION AT LEAST AT THE LOWER OUTER EDGETHEREOF, THE BOTTOM EDGE OF EACH LOWER BAND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY ANDOUTWARDLY WHEN IN THE FLAT AND DOWNWARDLY ACROSS THE RIB CAGE AT ANANGLE WHEN ON THE WEARER, THE OUTER ENDS OF EACH LOWER BAND BEINGCONNECTED TOGETHER AT THE SMALL OF THE BACK WHEN ON THE WEARER, STRAPSHAVING ONE END CONNECTED TO EACH CUP PORTION AT THE TOP AND CONNECTED TOEACH LOWER BAND ADJACENT THE OUTER END THEREOF, SECONDARY UPPER BANDSEXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY OUTWARDLY AND REARWARDLY FROM ANEDGE OF EACH CUP PORTION AND CONNECTED TO AT LEAST THE OUTER EDGE OFEACH CUP PORTION AT A POINT ABOVE THE LOWERMOST CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THECUP PORTIONS AND THE LOWER BANDS, AND CONNECTED AT THEIR OUTER ENDS TOSAID STRAPS TO PROVIDE LATERAL PULL AT THE OUTER EDGES OF THE CUPPORTIONS, AND COOPERATING WITH SAID LOWER BANDS TO INSURE DESIREDSUPPORT WITHOUT WRINKLING ALONG THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID LOWER BANDS.